Many modern types of ticket for travel are made on a paper medium which is reinforced to a greater or lesser extent to ensure adequate rigidity. The term "card ticket" is used herein to designate such a medium. As a general rule the ticket also includes a magnetic track. In some cases the ticket further includes lines of weakness to enable one or more tabs to be removed when the ticket is inspected.
Generally speaking, the first step in processing such a ticket is to create a valid ticket from a blank ticket medium. The ticket is subsequently inspected one or more times, and where appropriate, it is cancelled after use.
It is desirable for card ticket processing apparatus to be as simple as possible mechanically, for it to be reliable even when presented with damaged tickets, and, given the typical applications of such apparatuses, for it to be relatively inexpensive. A specific problem lies in obtaining good quality printing on tickets.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide improved ticket processing apparatus for processing such a card ticket, and preferably for processing such a card ticket having a magnetic track thereon. That is to say, such embodiments constitute apparatuses for printing on a ticket or on a ticket blank and, where applicable, for reading and/or writing on its magnetic track.